


No Matter How it Starts

by lastchancecafe



Series: Kisses from the Creek [2]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Anxious David Rose, Feelings, Husbands, Kissing It Better, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25201831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastchancecafe/pseuds/lastchancecafe
Summary: Just like that, it’s a little easier to breathe. David manages to get his sweater the rest of the way off wincing as he feels the sweat of his undershirt clinging to him. He tries to draw in a breath but it catches in his throat as he turns toward the one person he wishes weren’t here to see this.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Series: Kisses from the Creek [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817500
Comments: 12
Kudos: 169





	No Matter How it Starts

David has always been a detail-oriented person. Like a house of cards, he delicately stacks the important details of his life together, creating something beautifully fragile. The name of Brenda’s second favorite goat (Beatrice). The number for 7 different contacts from the Saudi Arabian embassy. The type of tea his husband will reach for when he’s happy or tired or stressed. All of these minute details have a place, arranged together, ready to be carefully pulled up when needed. 

Except for the days when the pieces don’t fit, scattering those neatly organized pieces like cards across the floor. 

Of course, today was one of those days. 

They were running late this morning. Patrick’s fault. Their half-hearted attempt to hurry things along by showering together had quickly proven more fun than functional. Meaning Patrick had 17 minutes between the time he dropped David off at the store and the time he was supposed to be at Brenda’s farm. David knows the farm is exactly 33 minutes away on a good day.

David handed Patrick his thermos- English Breakfast for energy to make up for the hurried feeling of the morning -before offering him a quick kiss and turning towards the store. “Love you! Drive safe and try not to miss me too much.”

Patrick let out a laugh as he drove away, leaving David to open the store a mere 2 minutes late. That didn’t stop Darlene from rolling her eyes towards the hours posted as she followed him in to purchase her weekly stack of lip balms. David rang her up with a smile and began opening up the store. The Saturday regulars filtered in-Jocelyn, Twyla, Ray. The details of their routine are so predictable, so soothing, that David doesn’t notice something is missing until it hits him. That one moment out of place suddenly knocking his day down around him. 

_“Love you! Drive safe and try not to miss me too much.” David calls out the teasing farewell, warming at the sight of his husband's smile as he laughs and drives away._

Patrick has told him that he loves him more times than David can count. He tells him multiple times a day between stolen kisses and moments of passion. He shows him with cups of coffee and extra compliments on bad hair days. David could build a whole palace of cards in his mind out of the pieces of Patrick’s love for him. Logically David knows that it doesn’t mean anything that Patrick didn’t say **_it_** in the rush of their morning. But that familiar feeling is creeping in, spreading the familiar pieces of his love just out of reach. 

His phone chimes with a text and his heart jumps into his throat. He tries not to feel disappointed when he sees it’s from Alexis. It’s a photo of a beautiful floral arrangement with a card clearly visible on the front **_‘Iris you the best on the new premiere-Ted’._ ** He assumes from the subsequent string of emojis punctuated with several heart-eyed faces that whatever the two of them are right now is going well. He sends her back a blushing face and a thumbs up hoping it shows the appropriate level of recognition and appreciation. 

He tries to remember the last time Patrick brought him flowers or worse the last time he bought flowers for Patrick. He always gets that shy smile on his face when David brings him flowers, the blush rising from his neck to the tops of his ears, even years into their marriage. David can’t remember the last time he bought flowers for his husband which clearly means it was too long ago which obviously needs to be rectified immediately because Patrick needs to know how much he is loved-

The bell over the door rings.

Ronnie walks in, takes one look at David’s face, and scowls. “What’d he do now?” She asks, slowly gathering her usual date night supplies from around the store. David brushes her off with a comment on her wine selection. He can’t enjoy their usual ribbing when it’s clearly David who has been a terrible husband lately. Ronnie’s eyes make it clear that she’s not buying it, but thankfully she does buy a bottle of the new massage oil with her usual wine and cheese offering him a change of subject. 

“I’m planning to have Vanessa help me try this out after the game tomorrow my shoulder has been getting stiff. You gonna come to watch me strike out your husband again?”

“We’ll see,” David says with a shrug. Ronnie takes that as a no it is and heads out, throwing him an eye-roll over her shoulder as she does. 

David hasn’t been going to as many games recently. He should probably change that. Patrick is always trying to drag David along, he probably wants someone there to cheer for him. He deserves his husband cheering for him at all of his games. 

David’s not spiraling but he’s _not-not spiraling_ either. There’s not enough air in the store and everything feels hot and he is **_not_** going to let himself have an anxiety attack over the fact that his husband didn't say ‘I love you’ this morning. 

He focuses on one task at a time. Dusting the high shelves that he always procrastinates. Restocking the candles from Maryanne’s bees. Checking out customers with a smile that feels increasingly forced as the day stretches on. Patrick is due back just right around closing time and David is sure he can make it until then. He begins to unpack a box of body milk, forcing his mind to stay focused. 

Unfortunately, his body has other ideas. He barely remembers to flip the sign on the door and stumble to the back room before he’s hit with the full force his mind is throwing details at him- thought afterthought in a dizzying spiral. 

_Patrick’s hands, on him in the shower._

_Patrick complaining that they were going to be late._

_Patrick’s smile as he took the tea David had made for him._

_Patrick’s laugh as he drove away._

_Patrick driving away from him without saying anything._

It’s too hot in the store. David is trying to pull off his sweater and catch his breath and get his brain to **_stop_** so he can pick up the pieces of this day. He’s so focused on trying to do something right that he doesn’t notice someone settling on the floor beside him. 

“David.” 

Just like that, it’s a little easier to breathe. David manages to get his sweater the rest of the way off wincing as he feels the sweat of his undershirt clinging to him. He tries to draw in a breath but it catches in his throat as he turns toward the one person he wishes weren’t here to see this.

“David, can I touch you?” Patrick’s voice is calm and quiet as he reaches out, waiting until David nods shakily before pulling him into his arms. Patrick holds David’s hand against his chest drawing in slow deep breaths and whispering against his hair. 

“I’m here. I’ve got you. Try to breathe. It’s okay. I love you.” 

As David’s breath starts to return to normal Patrick begins to cover him with kisses. His lips ghost over David’s hair, his ears, his jaw, and his neck peppering every inch of visible skin with kisses- tangible reminders of his love. 

David’s mind holds onto the details. The smell of Patrick's cologne. The steady rhythm of his heart where David is resting on his chest. The missing words being whispered again and again across his face. 

David pulls Patrick in for a gentle kiss cataloging every detail. Later Patrick will ask questions but he won’t push. He’ll help David close down the store and distract him with stories of the day. More details for David to put in their place rebuilding the house of cards one piece at a time. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for sitting with me while I project all my current anxieties onto David 💙


End file.
